Among Crows
by The Punch Lord
Summary: First there were the crows, singing crooked songs to his ears and dancing around him, then came the ivory angel, with eyes as red as blood.
1. Chapter 1

**this is an idea i had for quite a while and now that i have some free time with getting some stories done recently, i decided to jump into this one. this is an AU to avatar and henry's past and a prologue for an upcoming story; this one shouldn't be too long of a story.  
**

**enjoy~**

* * *

The flutter of wings were loud in the empty air, their feathers rattling with each heavy stroke the crows made as they jumped and scattered around him, watching him and cawing at him. He felt them all around them, the scatter of ash onto his fingers, their claws digging into his back, shoulders, and head from where they perched on him, singing their annoying songs.

_Kree, kree, kree _they sang, joyous and perky as they jumbled around him.

He ignored them for the most part. Despite how loud they were, how they screeched like banshees around them, how each flap sounded like thunder; he couldn't hear them. When they dug their talons into his skin and probed him with their beaks, he didn't feel them. Even when one stood next to his hand, poking at his pinkie finger, he could only absently wonder if these birds would try to tear his flesh away and eat him away, kill him so he could match everything else around him.

He only reacted when one landed on the charred black and cracked bones of Wolfy, cawing at him.

He was almost faster than them, his arm swung out to swat it away from the bones. It cried out, barely dodging his lunge as it flew back. The rest of the flock followed it, landing on the ashen buildings near, all silent as they stared down at him. He settled his arm back to where it was before, stiff on the ashen ground, his figures covered in black and white dust, his turquoise eyes locked on the bones before him.

With the sudden silence around, and all the black eyes on him; he was suddenly aware of his surroundings. Like waking up from a dream, he blinked a few times at the bones before him, now finally hearing something else stir around him.

It wasn't the crows looming around him, watching him from above.

It was the wind tugging at the bits of ashes away from the scene.

Even in his still state, he knew instinctively that it has been absent the whole time.

It was a slight stumble of feet, the rustle of feathers, and the hiss of ash sliding beneath wide blades.

Slowly looking up, he stared up dully at the approaching figure that stared back at him, wary and curious. They were small, just a little smaller than him, just by a head. Their own hair was white, just like his, and looked just as soft to the touch. The skin didn't share the same Plegian tan that most people had in this kingdom, and shared his paleness as well.

But there were two glaring things that made this figure so bizarre.

While their hair and skin were shared and similar, the figure didn't have the same eyes as his. No, thie-her eyes, they were red. A beautiful, bleeding, blood red; and they seemed to glow bright against the dark area, where the sun hid itself away from the ruins he made. Gleaming against the shadows, those eyes locked onto him, studying and gauging whether they should approach or not.

There was no hate in those eyes. No disgust or fear.

Only wary curiosity that kept him still, intriguing him.

It wasn't those beautiful eyes alone that drew his attention, but the large, white appendages that hung out of her back, spread out wide and tall, making the small figure appear just slightly bigger from where he sat on his knees. Every time they moved, dipping down and raising up, a small cloud of ash drifted behind them. They were so white, whiter than the moon, and with them, her hair, and pale face; it just brought out the bold, vivid of color of her eyes.

She was just... beautiful.

No in all of his young years, would he imagine he'd see a sight like this.

To see such beautiful wings on the back of a small girl with blood red eyes.

Was she some experiment? Did someone tore the wings of a pegasus off and sew them to her back? Was it some spell? He couldn't fathom how she could have these wings.

The girl shared his wonder as she stared at him, her wings drooping a little as she relaxed, slowly curling in on themselves and huddling close to her body; even still, they looked ready to burst open in a moment's notice. Slowly, she took a step towards him, then another, and another. He didn't move an inch as he watched her, hardly realizing that she was coming closer to Wolfy's bones.

With her growing bolder, so did the crows.

They jumped down from their perch, softly and absently cawing around them. A few flew towards her, landing on her furled wings or on her wild, messy head. She barely noticed them clambering all around her, those red eyes locked to his.

They came to him as well. Perching on his shoulders, back, and head once again; but they didn't peck at him like before. They hung still, observing and murmuring amongst each other. When one drew near to land on the bones before him, everything snapped back into place.

He swiped at the black bird once again, sending all the crows scattering and making the girl before him freeze, her wings jerking out slightly front of her and crossing slightly, like they were large arms blocking for an oncoming attack. He resumed his crouch over the skeleton, glaring at her as he growled warningly. "Go away."

She was beautiful, intriguing, and enchanting.

He'd admit to that.

But she had no right to be here. No right to come near him or Wolfy.

No right at all.

She didn't leave like he wanted, but she didn't come closer either. Instead, her wings drooped a little as she peered at him, turning away to look around at the ruins, settling back to him and the skeleton before him. "Did you-" she cuts herself off, clearing her throat with a deep rumble, like she hasn't spoken in weeks. His ears automatically perked up at her voice, before he shook his head and silently scolded himself. He shouldn't listen or care.

Baring his teeth, he tugged at the whirl of magic inside of him, ready to let it loose and send the outsider away when she continued, oblivious or ignoring the magic sparking in the air. "Did you do this?" she asked, her voice much clearer now, so soft and soothing that almost broke his concentration. Almost.

"Yes," he said.

She casts her eyes around the ash and ruin, noting the other skeletons of the villagers around, burnt and broken. She held no pity in her red eyes, nor any satisfaction for what he's done.

She didn't care.

What her eyes flickered and glowed a little brighter, she turned around in a full circle, scanning the bones once more while he watched on. Her eyes dimmed when she didn't find what she was looking and she slumped sadly a little. Her wings curling closely around her, she gave him one last nod before turning away and walking off like he wanted. The crows around him all perked as she started to walk away, and with one large swoop, they all took off, flying after her, eager to catch up. Some landing on her wings, shoulders, and head once again while others hopped and flew after her.

She stopped for a moment, looking at him from over her shoulder, her eyes glowing once again. Shouting out, she told him, "He loves you." Before walking on, the flock of crows still swarming around her.

He sat still before Wolfy's bones, staring after her.

Glancing down at the skeleton, he reached out, running his hands along the black, warm skull; leaving a trail of silver behind his fingertips. Whispering apologetically once more to the bones, he stood up, ignoring how the ash crumbled and fell off his clothes; and followed after the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Henry jerked awake at the hard stab at his forehead. Sitting up and immediately covering his bruising forehead, he glared down at the crow that peered up at him, clapping its beak together, almost bored at the chore. Agitated and tired, especially at the constant rude awakening, Henry swatted at the crow, only for it to easily jump, laughing at him. With wide bounds, it lazily flew to the girl. Grouchy, he laid back down, watching as the girl stretched her own body, nearly falling over when her large wings lent a little too far back. Red faced, she glanced at him hurriedly before straightening and walking off, ignoring the laughing flock around her.

She seemed more concerned about him than the twenty crows that were mocking her.

Curious. Very curious.

He twitched as another crow pestered him into moving, jumping on a branch above and scattered its loose leaves and bark onto him. "I'm moving, I'm moving," he grumbled to the bird, stumbling to his feet and trailing after her, occasionally stomping over her prints with his slightly larger feet, just for the spite of it. The crow hung back with him, jumping branch to branch and watching the girl and its flock ahead of them.

For the past few days its been like this. Trailing after the mysterious angel and the black birds, never getting close but never getting near. He slept away from her, and she never drew closer to him. It was only ever the crows that came to fetch or alert him when she was on the move. The only time the girl stopped was just to sleep, and even then, it was starting to feel like more for his sake than for hers. First two nights he stayed up as long as he could, watching her as she pretended to be asleep. He knew because the conscious can't keep their eyes closed very well. A few moments he could see the glow of her red eyes peeking out to the shadows before quickly closing again.

It was almost like she was afraid to fall asleep.

But as his throat itched and his stomach twisted and clawed at his insides, Henry couldn't bring himself to care.

For the past few days, she didn't stop for food or water; only the crows did and they traveled, ate, and drank when they could. There was a lot of food in these areas for them, and occasionally there were small streams where they would snap up some water for them. In his desperate moments, Henry drank some of the stream as well, spitting the bits of dirt and leaves that would get in his mouth.

He wasn't drinking a lot of water these past two days, and Plegians usually were good about lack of water for long periods; but food was a completely different matter. As his stomach grumbled and growled, he glanced at the crow trailing beside him, considering.

He had counted, there was a total of twenty crows in this flock with the girl. Chances were slim that she would notice one missing.

It would be simple and quick, a single cackle of lightning, or a quick jerk of of the shadows-

The crows all screeched in a alarm, jumbling around so their black bodies mingled and merged together in a wild swarm. Henry found himself on the ground, staring up at the blazing red eyes staring down at him, the girl's features disappointed, and her wings raised high above her, casting long shadows over him. "Don't," she warned with a shake of her head. The word rang through the air, soft as before, but firm and dangerous. The first word she ever spoke to him since they left the ruins.

The surprise and slight bit of fear echoed away from him as he opened his eyes and glared back at her, too hungry to be scared.

His own teachers and parents were far scarier.

"I'm hungry," he bit out, his own voice raspy from lack of use.

She arced a brow at him, her head tilting to the side curious. "Then eat," she said simply.

"What food?"

Her eyes widened a little as the problem dawned on her, looking around past the crows to the ashen forest around them. What could he eat? Nervous, her wings wrapped around her, like they were trying to hide her from the world as her shy words told the crows, "Find food please." The silent crows all looked around each other before they took off, leaving the girl and him alone.

Satisfied, she sat down, letting her wings completely encase her form as she waited. Henry stared at her for a moment, looking back up at the crows flying away, before leaning back himself and waiting.

* * *

The flutter of wings woke them from the light doze they slept in.

Eagerly looking up, they watched as four crows managed their way down, all gripping the blanket tight that looked wrapped around a lot. The girl's nose twitched knowingly as she watched the descent, her red eyes locked on their catch. Henry crawled forward, his stomach outwardly screaming with impatience, his mouth watering as they dropped the blanket to the ground.

Food rolled out from the blanket, some lying in the dirt while most lay all over the blanket. The crows themselves stood around them proudly, their chests puffed out as they preened at the praise the girl whispered to them. Reaching for the first thing he could grab, Henry tore at the bits of jerky the crows snatched up, relishing the gamey taste, but frustrated at the hardness to chew. Tearing one piece away and chewing at it, letting his saliva soften it up, he grabbed for the bread and tore at it as well, humming as the meat and bread mixed well on his tongue.

The girl watched the display with wide eyes before giggling weakly to herself. "You really where hungry," she mused aloud, more to herself and her crows than to him. The birds agreed as they cackled and clacked their beaks together, especially proud in finding food for their young entourage. Looking over the food, a delighted gasp escaped her, catching Henry's attention as he watched that she reached for the food herself.

"Eel pie?!" she exclaimed, holding up what looked like a ruined pastry. Henry swallowed his current portion, wondering aloud, "What pie?"

"Eel pie!" she repeated excitedly, her red eyes glowing as her smile grew so big, he wondered if it was going to crack her face. "Mother and I ate this all the time," she said, bringing it up to her nose and sniffing. "Its a popular treat at the ports. Which is good since they actually eat a lot of fish, and they breed worse than rabbits, and rats." She babbled on, Henry watching her curious as he chewed absently, content and happy that he had something to fill his stomach with.

"So your from the west side of Plegia," he mused, making her start a little, her eyes flickering up to him before going back down to the pie, tearing off a chuck and nibbling at it, like she wasn't starving like him despite not eating for who knows how long. "North west," she confirmed, "we were much closer to Ylisse."

Ah, that explained a bit. Plegians that were much closer to Ylisse were usually quite weird. "What are you doing in the middle of Plegia," he asked, reaching over and tearing off a piece of eel pie for himself, curious to try. If his mental map was correct, she moved quite a bit away from where she was.

"Mother said it was time to go," she said simply, watching in amusement as he spat his piece out, his tongue sticking out in disgust while the crows easily snatched it up. "Its a required taste," she offered.

"Where is your mother now?" Henry asked, glancing at her wings and wondering if it was her mother that put them there.

The girl drooped, her wings that hung up around her back fell forward and limply to the ground, scattering a large dust cloud over the food and themselves. Not that Henry cared as he tore another piece away and nibbled at it, not minding the dirt. Food was food. "I don't know," she mumbled, "I was looking for her, we... we got separated."

"By what?"

"Men."

He glanced up at her, his eyes squinting in the unnerving way that always made his mother, teachers, and classmates cringe. The girl wasn't cringing though. She was staring down at her lap where her hands and the pie sat. "Dark mages," she added at last.

His mind instantly clicked to Grimleal, the organization of dark mages that sought to revive Grima and destroy Ylisse. With the recent war against Plegia, Grimleal was as strong as ever in its support. "Did they do that to you?" he asked, eyeing the depressed wings.

The girl looked confused for a moment before it clicked in her head what he was referring too. "Oh!" she squeaked, her wings instantly wrapping around her subconsciously, like they were trying to hide her from his prying eyes. "I-well, no, they didn't. I, I was born like this. Well, maybe not born-" She pushed her wings away with an embarrassed huff, feeling a little claustrophobic in her feathery cocoon. "I don't know if I was really born with them or if I got them through magic, mother implies that they come from magic.

"I can sort of control them, but not always. They can come out on their own, especially if I'm upset or scared. I know how to use them, I can fly a little, not long, but a little; and I know how to beat people with them."

The last comment completely threw Henry off. "Beat people with them?!" he exclaimed, laughter bubbling out of his throat as the images came to mind. People swatted away by those large wings, sent flying off to the distance. He actually would really like to see that. The girl blushed at his humor, her wings slowly wrapping around her again, only to stop when Henry gently pushed them aside, enjoying the feel of the soft feathers beneath his hands. The girl watched him beneath the shadows of her wings, her red eyes bright against the shadows.

"So you're looking for your mother then? What lead you to my ruins?"

"I felt your magic," she said. "I... can sense magic, powerful magic. And my mother can use magic. I had hoped..."

That he could have been her.

Changing the subject, he asked aloud as he drew away from her. "Not going to ask why I'm following you?"

The girl shrugged in response, her wings lightly coiling up around her shoulders, behind her. "Crows have been following me for as long as I can remember. I ask and they won't tell. Or they tell me too much. I figure that it'd be the same with you. I think..."

He raised a silver brow at her, peering at her quietly before a smile quirked up to his lips and he giggled across from her, much to her curiosity. "I'm Henry. I'm... I'll help you find her. You drew me out of my own muck, so I have a bit of a debt to repay."

She looked confused, not sure what he meant but she accepted it with a small smile and nod. "I'm Robin," she said, offering her small hand to him. Grinning, he took her hand and shook.

A robin amongst crows.

What an interesting and funny thought.

* * *

**i was half tempted to use my chosen name for my avatar, aeron, but i decided to stick with robin for AC**

**also, does anyone else reach the conclusion that robin birds are only in plegia? especially since chrom wonders if robin is a foreign name. i'm thinking it could be likely. **


	3. Chapter 3

**this may be the only update for a while with school starting, thanks for being so patient! **

* * *

_Old Miss Hana looked up at the whine of her door, her beady eyes locked onto the snow white haired boy with burnt wrist and clothes, small bits of steam rolling off where the fire hit. Despite the obvious cinders steaming on his wrists, the boy had a big, happy smile on his face, his eyes mostly closed as he stood before her. Taking the wooden pipe out of her mouth, she waved at him with a slight sneer, "Burnt again boy?"_

_"A little," he said. _

_"Said something your parents did like then."_

_"I was too honest. But they also said that I can never lie. And no matter what you do, Sandy will always be fat," he laughed. _

_The old woman grunted at that, waving her pipe to the chair across from her, her other hand pulling a worn spell book to her side. "You should have made yourself a sage with how often you get hurt," she grumbled."That way you can heal and hurt."  
_

_The boy shrugged. "I don't really see myself as a healer." With a giggle, he added, "And I don't see anyone rushing up to me for healing."  
_

_"I'm the ugliest old hag in the whole village, people still come."_

_The boy hummed. "True I suppose, but I think its more with reputation, isn't?"_

_"Yes for I'm just a bundle of flowers. Now sit still." With a cackle of bright energy she swept them over his wrists, easing away the burns to faded scars, though the still remained, waiting to be wiped away. Still smiling, he wiped the warm liquid off his throbbing wrists, enjoying the thumping feel that echoed after the hurt.  
_

_"Thank you," he bid with a chirp, Old Hana waved him away with a sharp grumble. "Just get out, flee to the woods like you always do. Grima knows what you do in there." He nodded as he stood and headed out, only to pause by the door. "Hey Miss Hana? Grima is that black dragon them Grimmy mages were spouting about, right?"_

_Old Hana shot him a dark look with her squinting eyes. Wagging a crooked finger at him, she spat out, "Don't you go sticking your nose in that Grimleal business."_

_"But he's that black dragon right?"_

_Old Hana huffed as she turned away, back to her desk. _

_He still had yet to leave from where he stood by the door. Absently, he voiced aloud, "I wonder if I prayed to that dragon, would he kill my parents?"_

_"Just get out of my house and back to your woods boy. Back to where you belong."_

* * *

With the food bundled up and secure in the bag the crows snatched up, Henry was content as he trailed after Robin as she wandered around, walking much closer to her than before. Close enough that if he walked just a little faster, his hand could brush against the long feathers of her wings that hung a little ways behind her. It made him giggle each time his fingers brushed against the soft feathers, half tempted just to stretch the wing out and trace over each one. It was a little funny that the more he traveled with her, the more her white wings reminded him of a crow wings. Maybe that's why these birds always followed her around.

Maybe that's one of the reasons he followed her too. Her white crow wings.

And the mystery.

Certainly the mystery.

It was a fascination. He won't deny that. A little bit of her past revealed to him, he can't help but be drawn to her, intrigued about her situation, her mother, and whatever relation they had with Grimleal. It was a puzzle that had to be solved. And the best way to get those answers was to find the mother.

They stop when they hear a loud rustle, and before he could brace himself, her wings flew back open, knocking him off his feet, as a fox darts past them. Hearing her startled gasp, at the fox or for knocking him over, he didn't know. As she turned to him, the tips of her feathers brushing over his face and through a bit of his hair, he laughed at the tickling sensation and at the surprising force. He didn't know why he found it to be so funny, but it was.

Knocked over by giant wings, and tickled by those wings.

It was just hilarious for some reason.

"Are you ok?" Robin demands, bending over as he giggles on the ground, her wings hunched over him, making him feel like a rat caught by and eagle, the larger predator looming over him, hiding the world from him. It didn't entice a sense of fear in him like he was sure it would with many others, he actually liked the large looming wings hung over him. For the moment, against the light grey sky, the wings looked black.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, reaching out a hand for him and easily pulling him back to his feet, her wings helping by keeping her steady, pressing against the ground.

"A little jumpy?" he humored.

She pouted at him before looking away, her wings curling around her again in a feathery blanket. He notes that she does that a lot when she's nervous or scared. "I'm scared about coming across those men again. I can fight, but I don't like too. And I can only sense magic, not other people that don't use it."

Humming, he glanced at the wings, realizing that spreading out like that was a defense mechanism. Startling the attacker with a suddenly bigger figure. "Besides wings," he said, "how else can you fight?"

She perks up before smiling, pulling out a knife from her belt, and opening the purple robe that was a little too big for her, she showed him a thoron spell book. She held the two items up proudly, much to his curiosity. A knife and a spell book. A little weird combination. People either used one of the other. Mages only used knives when they were experimenting, but never in a fight. Battles were too out of control for them to be restricted to blades, and usually the metal had ways of affecting spell books poorly. And there were factors that some mages were too physically weak to handle weapons. There was only a small handful that he could think that worked with weapons and spells.

And then the warriors themselves, most always had a hard time figuring out magic, much less grabbing the spell from the pages and throwing it out. It takes years of training for anyone to learn both. Yet there was this girl, silently showing him that she knows how to use both.

And she looked younger than ten.

"You know how to use both?"

"My mother taught me. Well, how to use spell books. One of the guards in our village showed me out to use a knife in a fight. I studied both so I know how to use both."

"Curious," he mused.

"Why?"

"You're the first I know that uses both and doesn't have a steed."

She raised her own white brow back at him, her head tilting to the side. "That's weird. Why do you need a mount to use both?" Henry simply shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, they won't catch us. And we're two powerful mages with a flock of crows. We got nothing to worry about." He was sure that the crows would sound the alarm if there was trouble too.

By the look on her face, Robin silently agreed with him as she slid the knife back onto her belt and hid the book away. She looked up suddenly, Henry following her example as he heard a frantic flutter of wings, and the insistent cry of a drooping crow. Holding her arm out, she let the bird settle on her arm, cawing endlessly.

"There's a town nearby," she told him, looking nervous. "I haven't been in a town since I got separated," she said, glancing up at her wings. "You can make them disappear?" he asked, gently holding one up as he observed it.

"You think its a good idea to go in?"

"Well, there's where you can find people."

Biting her lip, she closed her eyes as she concentrated. He watched in curious fascination as the wings shuddered, a sense of magic growing around her, cold and gentle as it brushed past him and filled the air. Each feather broke and fell away, crumbling away faster and faster with each second, and as they broke apart, they shattered into silver dust, disappearing into the air. His hand reached up instinctively to grab them, only to feel soft powder roll past his hand.

And then she was a normal girl, wingless and red eyed with long platinum blonde hair.

Looking up at him, she met his gaze as he stared at her, soaking in how much smaller she suddenly seemed, how much more skittish now that she didn't have those big wings around to shield her from the world. Smiling, he offered his hand as crows hopped around them, jumping up and digging their talons into their shoulders. "Lets go to the village," he said, "lets see if we can find your mother there."

* * *

**i do like the idea that robin learned all fighting from their mother, but it always bugged me a little that she was a tactician class too. from what i got from chrom and lissa, robin is the first to have their own unique class, shared with only morgan when married to chrom, walhrat, or olivia (lucina if you want to count future kids). being the first magic and weapon class without a steed, i like to think robin invented it unintentionally, or grimleal themselves made it for grima. **

**this actually makes me sorta wish they renamed the class to something else since the term also falls to whoever is good at strategy, like aversa. **


	4. Chapter 4

This was his first time in another village.

His hands clasped tightly as her smaller body hung close, Robin lead him in, her red eyes flickering to each face, searching something, anything, akin to her mother. All the while, Henry looked around in interest, comparing the village to his old one. This one wasn't as magic themed as his old home, the people here dressed normal, and had knives and swords on their belts, or spears in their hands. There was dirt on their faces and clothes, shiny from the sweat of a long day's work.

And the kids here, especially the ones around their own ages were just the same, if not dirtier than the adults.

And with all eyes on them, it clicked in his head just how out of place the two were with their snow hair and purple robes. Most of the village kept a wide birth, making it almost feel like home, but he felt that was more with the designs of Robin's robes, with the glowing purple eyes of Grimleal glaring out back at them. Robin mentioned that her mother gave it to her before they were separated, and despite the attention it brought, she wasn't willing to let it go.

Not entirely understanding her attachment, Henry let it go, following her along through the village. The blackbirds that followed her everywhere hung away this time, watching from the outskirts as she and Henry explored the quaint village.

"I don't think she's here," Robin murmured sadly as she slowly stopped guiding him and pausing by a fountain that stood in the center of the village. Henry took the chance to peer at each face, looking for something that could match Robin's own, or someone that shared similar hair color as her.

There was none though, no white hair beside their own, no other match of red eyes, or soft gentle features that the girl beside him had. Shrugging, Henry said aloud, "Well, not much we can about it now." Turning to her with a broad smile, he requests, "So how about you show me what's fun here? I've never been in a village outside my own." So what was there to do?

They might as well enjoy the visit so it wasn't a complete waste.

Robin smiled brightly, and Henry could almost see those large wings shudder and shiver in absolute excitement. "There's a bit to do," she promised him. "Mother and I would take a look at their stores, magic stores."

Now that caught his attention. "Magic?" he repeated.

Robin shared his smile, her red eyes glowing. "Most villages always have at least one magic store. Not a lot for dark mages, but definitely something for everyone, sages, mages, and so on. Usually you have to buy them, but its also nice to just look."

"You think they have a book of hexes?!" Henry asked.

Robin shrugged. "I dunno," she admits, "we never looked into hexes much. But this is Plegia, they might have something."

"Goody, goody, goody," Henry changed, jumping around Robin. New hexes! New HEXES! All the possibilities that he could find! The world seemed to get bigger too. Maybe there was more than giving someone a swine's tail, reversing time, or giving your prey a nasty cold. What else could hexes outside his old home could do?

As Robin lead him through the village, Henry sought the magic store frantically and its possible curses that it could hold. All the things that he could do...

Robin jerked to a stop, Henry nearly walking right into her. Grabbing the stiff girl's shoulders to steady himself, he looked over her ivory top just to meet the cold dark eyes staring back down at them, dressed in a long dark purple cloak, everything but his face completely hidden away. A shaman, Henry realizes, tightening his grip on Robin's shoulder as he instinctively drew her away from the dark mage.

"Sorry," Robin uttered.

The man simply blinked as he peered down at her, glancing at Henry before peering back at her. "What a curious child," he murmurs to himself, ignoring her comment. "You are not what you seem, are you?" he asked Robin.

Before the girl could reply, Henry jumps forward, asking, "Can you direct us to the magic shop?"

The shaman glanced at him, then eyeing Robin again, his head tilting as he considered them. "Tharja," he said aloud, waving absently behind him. A girl roughly the same age as them stepped forward, gripping a big book hard, peering at them with narrowed dark eyes. She glanced at the man before looking back over at them. Indicting to Robin once more, he asked Tharja, "What can you sense about this girl?"

Tharja arced a brow at him before eyeing Robin, tilting her head as she considered them. "Just the girl?" she asked.

"Just the girl," he confirmed.

"I feel left out," Henry said absently, only to be ignored as the two continued to stare at Robin as she glanced up at Henry. "Sometimes this happens," Robin whispers. "Its always the dark mages."

"You sure you're not a dark mage?" Henry asked.

"Yes."

"You are," Tharja argued in a bored tone, looking up at the man for confirmation. When he nodded, his eyes still locked on them, the girl looked quite pleased with herself. Robin rolled her eyes and walked off, murmuring a hushed pardon. "I'm not a dark mage," she grumbled to herself as Henry followed after, giving the two one last glance.

"You should be wary," the shaman called after them, "not everything is as it seems."

Robin ignored it as Henry hummed curiously, glancing back and watching as they drew back into the crowd, murmuring to themselves. "I wonder if they would hex us?" he said randomly. Robin shrugged as she pulled him up closer. "I don't think so," she said, "no reason to."

"Who needs a reason?" Henry replied, then he stopped, gasping loudly and startling Robin beside him. "MAGIC!" he cried, spotting the magic store and scrambling too it, Robin's hair and robes, ruffled by the sudden rush of air. Blinking dumbly for a moment, she smiled and giggled as she watched the comedic sight of the thin boy running to the store. Gathering up her robes, she raced after him, eager and curious to see what they have to offer.

* * *

"I found Katarina's Bolt!" Robin exclaimed as she rushed over to Henry, showing him the yellow big, her red eyes bright. "Mother mentioned that this is one of the most powerful lightning spells out there," she went on, sitting crossed legged beside him. "Its a little too pricy right now, but I really hope to try it sometime."

"I found Ruuuuiiiin," Henry squealed back, waving the purple tome back to her, "its a hexing spell that ruins them!"

Leaning forward to look at the price, Robin smiled as she set her tome down, eagerly telling Henry that they could probably get it. "We could?" he gaped. Robin nodded, "The price is low, so I guess its one of the more common tomes, but still much pricier than other common anima tomes, like thoron."

"You have money?" he asked, he certainly didn't grab any.

"Mother and I carry some, do a few jobs to get more. So yeah, we could get it. Might as well since you need something to protect yourself."

"Sweet!" Henry pumped.

As the two sat and talked, they were both unaware of the mismatched eyes staring at them from outside the store, their eyes locked on Robin. "Soon," a soft voice whispered to themselves, slinking into the shadows, never breaking away from watching Robin. "Soon."

* * *

**while playing as tacition/grandmaster, i found that i'm more of a magic user than physical attacker XD i just enjoy being a mage too much**


	5. Chapter 5

_He was lying the ground, furious, numb, and oblivious to all that was around him._

_He didn't feel his wrists sizzling on the ground, burnt and scarred for life. He didn't hear the shift of the forest around him, filling the hush silence of it all. He didn't see the cold amber eyes watching him from under the hedges; all he could see was the dully grey sky above, just waiting to swallow him up. He wish it would. Just to be done with it all.  
_

_No more cursing._

_No more shouting._

_No more pain._

_In a simple blink, he started when he felt a hot breathe on his neck, and teeth lightly wrapped around his neck, a furry muzzle brushing against his bare skin. Looking down at the large, hulking pale body of a wolf, Henry didn't respond as he laid still in its hold. Light growls rumbled out of it, tickling his senses as it stood still. _

_"Do it," he whispered to the wolf, watching its ear twitch. "Do it." _

* * *

Henry stared at the two soft bands in his hands, rolling the fabric between his fingers. He glanced back at Robin, watching as she sat on the fountain rim, exploring the Ruin tome and exploring a small bit of dark magic and comparing it to anima, occasionally brushing her thick ivory hair aside when it get in her face.

"They're two coppers each," the woman told him from her stand, leaning away slightly from the strange boy. Humming, he grabbed the two peices out of his pocket, dumping them on the wooden stand. "They for your... sister?" the woman guessed, eyeing the girl he's been watching by the fountain. "My friend," he clarified, nodding his thanks and drifting away returning to Robin's side.

She looked up at his approach, smiling broadly as her red eyes gleamed in a familiar giddy flare that all mages had when they were reading tomes. Smiling back, he sat down, leaning over to see the discoveries she's made. As she talked on, Henry glanced at her hair, a big soft tangled mess across her shoulders, covered with bits of crow feathers stick out from where they burrowed through her hair.

Without saying a word, he he rolled one of the two bands over his hand and gathered up her hair, catching her off guard and cutting her off as he clumped up her hair. Flickering her red eyes to him, she watched as he gathered her hair up careful, randomly puling those bits of feathers out before awkwardly bunching it up and wrapping the band over it, making a clumsy one sided pigtail.

Henry drew away, eyeing his work proudly while Robin took the clumsy tail in her hand, eyeing the wound up mess. Turning around, she lent out, eyeing her reflection, her head tilting as she took in and considered the pigtail. "I like it," she decided, "but shouldn't it be more of a pony-oh!" she exclaimed as Henry offered the other band. Sticking her tongue out, Robin concentrated on her reflection, binding the remaining clump of hair up into an equally messy pigtail.

Henry watched as she wound the other side up, turning to him expectantly.

"You look weird," Henry said bluntly, a laugh bubbling in his tone. Robin agreed with it, laughing as well at their clumsy attempt of pigtails. "I do!" she said, rocking back and forth on the rim. "Where'd you get the idea?" she wondered.

"I noticed that you brush your hair aside a lot," he said, rocking his legs over the rim. "And a few girls back in my village sometimes put their hair up like that. i thought maybe you'd want to try the same."

"Wow," she said, looking back at her reflection and smiling at it. She really did like the look, despite how awkward it was right now with their first try. It felt a little weird with her hair wound up, but it would be something she'd easily get used too. The crows would like it, that's for sure. Some complained about her hair, like this it would be a little easier for them to wiggle and hop on her shoulders, and she wouldn't have hair all over her shoulders or in her face.

It'd be a small change, but one that would be nice for them all.

"Thank you Henry," she bid.

He smiled, a warm feeling bubbling up in his chest that just made him giddy. His first thank you. It was nice, a very nice thing to hear. "You're very welcome," he bid back.

Standing up, Robin offered him her hand, saying, "Comet on, lets eat and show off my pigtails."

"Yes!" Henry agreed.

* * *

The sun was going down when they left to the forest where the flock of crows waited. Cawing at them, they hopped excitedly around Robin and her new hairdo, scrambling on her shoulders, ducking under the pigtails and flying out. It was like a new game for them.

And a new bit of amusement for the preteens, laughing as they watched the crows flutter around her and explore the pigtails. "They like it," she told him.

"I can tell," he said, coming closer and reaching his arm out, letting the crows jump onto his arm and crawl up to his shoulder, enjoying the feel of their pointed claws pressing against his skin through the fabric. Ruffling up the neck feathers of one, he smiled as they nipped at his fingers lightly. "They really are a closely knit group," he mused to himself. "Its very admiring."

"Not a lot of people think so, they call them devil's birds or bringers of bad luck," Robin said absent stroking one. "I'm glad you like crows Henry."

Henry opened his mouth to reply, only to start as Robin stiffened, her wings popping out as she whirled around, the crows scattering around them like dark arrows, blinding Henry of whatever coming threat she just sensed. When they cleared, leaving drifting feathers in their wake, Henry looked up to see a sorcerer approaching them, a broad smile on his face as he peered at them, a bizarre, monstrous mask set over his head. "My Lady," he said softly, his eyes locked on Robin, taking in the wonder of her beautiful large wings, spread out big and wide before him. An act used to intimidate, but all it did to the sorcerer was please him. "You do know how fondly Grimleal also appreciates crows."

Henry's blood turned a little cold at the mention of Grimleal, staring at the dark mage that came from the organization. This man was a Grimleal mage. Henry's smile dropped as he tensed, peering up at him with slanted eyes.

He didn't even sense the man's presence, even from where he stood seven feet away from him. His magic, his power, was completely hidden away; leaving them with no way to guess what sort of threat he was.

But he was dangerous, they could confirm that.

Only the powerful could conceal themselves this well.

Robin drew away, her wings wrapping around her loosely, her red eyes locked onto the sorcerer. "You like vultures more than crows," she said, more to herself than him.

The sorcerer seemed to agree with that. Throwing his head back, he laughed good naturally at the comment. "Yes," he bid, "yes I suppose we do in a small sense. They are more graceful and so much more... honest with what they truly are."

Above them, the crows screamed, their black feathers puffing, their beady eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"You can keep them," the sorcerer promised her, "and the boy if you wished. I'm sure he'd make a fine sorcerer and servant someday."

"Where's my mother," Robin demands quietly, her feathers shivering as they tightened up like a spring. The sorcerer started, looking a little surprise befored he smiled again. "Your earthly mother? With us," the sorcerer assured, "and completely healed. She was actually the one to contact me and tell me where you were."

Robin's whole body froze, her wings drooping at the comment, her feathery cocoon cracked and left at her feet. Her mouth fell with it, her red eyes gawking at the sorcerer. The flock above them fell into an equally stiff hush, observing the events below them. "Yes," the sorcerer went on, taking her drooping wings as good sign to approach and get closer. "She is better My Lady," he went on, reaching for her. "You can be reunited, and she can serve you as she was supposed to before, along with your earthly father and loyal servant, Validar."

Robin whimpered, falling to her knees as she gripped her head, her wings rising up on their own and loosely wrapping around her, her mind flying with the details given to her. "Its alright My Lady," the sorcerer soothed, crouching before her. "She's better," he promised. Before his hand could touch, fire bit at it, making him reel away with a furious hiss.

Rounding on Henry, the hood glared at him, a very dragon like face slanted towards him. "What do you think your doing boy?!" the sorcerer snapped. "Denying our lady of her fate is a sin upon itself!"

"You're not taking her," Henry said simply, his voice calm and devoid of emotion.

Slowly, the sorcerer rose up, his robes rolling with his movement as the fake dragon eyes on the mask glared at him. "You deny Grima's Awakening, you deny all of Plegia."

Henry smiled, his lips turned up empty and cold. "Its a good thing I never cared for Plegia."

The sorcerer outstretched his hand towards him, scoffing, "Then you have no future alongside our Lady." Dark magic hissed and flared around his hand, ready to be fired at the white haired boy. Robin snapped at the flare of dark energy, purple static dancing over her swings violently. Shuddering, the soft feathers sharpened into harsh points, and with a rushing arch upwards, they cut and tore at the sorcerer's hand, breaking the dark spell and surprising them all.

The man could only get a gurgle of a scream out before Robin jerked up to glare at him, her red eyes glowing as a dark purple mist started to grow out around them, her teeth sharpening as she bared at them. "No," she growled, her voice deeper than before, inhuman. "No, no, no, no!"

Dark magic flared around her and consumed her body. The sorcerer never stood a chance as it grew uncontrollably. The next thing Henry knew, he stared up at the limp, gagging body of the sorcerer, hanging above a long, pale body, with large white wings; held up by a twisted mouth full of jagged, crooked teeth, and a twin pair of twisted horns stretched out alongside that horrible mouth.

"Robin," Henry breathed as he watched in fascination as the blood dripped down the wrinkled maw, coloring the pale scales. The being shifted and turned to him, red eyes bright and glaring against the white scales, full of fear and rage, and blind to anything else. Slowly, it dropped the sorcerer's body with a clunk, blood sticky over its mouth and horns. With a distorted smile, the monster drew near, ready for the next victim.

Henry didn't move as it crept closer, staring at it in wonder. "Robin," he repeated to the air.


	6. Chapter 6

**confused? **

**a thought i always had for FEA was a what if possibility that Avatar could beto only pichu a pseudo manakete and become a little mini grima. they are grima, why not the chance of turning into one, even more so since grima could take on their own form. could be fun, with coloration depending on hair color. i would have loved the feature.  
**

**AC i decided to try playing around with the idea, this is why Robin has wings in this AU  
**

* * *

He was on his back and on the ground once again with sharp pointed teeth easily pressing into his sides without much resistance. He bled out from where the fangs were pressed lightly, his forehead scraped from where one of the long horns on the side of her head had scratched him. Her large body loomed over his, a snake like curling mass tangled up above him. Her large white wings cast dark shadows around him, brushing against the forest floor; her claw like hands were placed by his head, twitching slightly as the sharp nails dung into the loose soil.

When hot breathe blew at him, Henry blinked as the situation caught up to him, his pale eyes staring back up at the large red eye that stared back down at him. Her jaws twitched around him, making it click in the pale boy's head that just a simple snap of her jaws and poof!

He'd snap in half, like a stick.

Despite the pain, the bleeding, the hot breathe, and burning saliva drooling into his wounds; he found that he wasn't as afraid as he should be.

Actually, he wasn't afraid at all.

Lying there with teeth wrapped around him, he stayed still as he stared up into the blazing red eye, wild and alive like fire. It was locked onto his face, watching him, waiting. He knew she was waiting to hear him scream, waiting for the fear. He had none to give her since he wasn't afraid of death. A death not even Wolfy could give.

Perhaps it was Robin after all who would kill him.

While a sad thought, it was also a bit of a calming one. There was nothing more bitter than being killed by a stranger that you didn't know. Especially in back, where you couldn't see them. This, he could accept this. His lips twitched up at the thought. Killed by a nightmare-ish dragon. Now that's the way to go.

"If you're going to do it, you should Robin," he whispered to her, raising his arm and lightly patting her snout with it, feeling the rough scales below his palm and the rugged bumps that made up her snarls. The dragon stilled, red eye staring down at him. "If anyone's going to end it, it should be you."

Hot breathe blew over him as the dragon like creature continued to stare down at him, contemplating. Slowly, those teeth slid away from his body, and with a soft gurgling hiss, Robin drew her head away from him, tilting it as she stared at him, her red eye dimming as the sense of anger and fear faded away. They seem to widen a little as the large mass drew away to give him more room, her head lowering shamefully with soft hisses going past her gnarled teeth.

Smiling he reached up and ran his hand along her bloodstained mouth, feeling his palm rise and dip with each wrinkle on her mouth. He wasn't sure if he was disappointed or happy that she came to her senses. If not killed by a dragon, then how else was there to die?

Brushing those thoughts aside, he scooted closer to her head, exploring her in slow detail like a blind man, keeping his hands moving over her flat, long head. He felt her blood soaked teeth, her rough horns, and the sharp ridges of her eyes. She was beautiful in some vicious sense. The snow white of her body, the blood red eyes; she looked like an ethereal ghost lurking in the woods. Giggling when her tongue flicked out and slid over his hands and her messy mouth, he bent forward and bumped his forehead against her, smiling. Lightly, he mused to himself, "So this is where your wings are truly from, Rob." She rumbled slightly, sounding like a deep purr to his ears, and tickling his hands at the sensation.

"Yes, they are."

Robin drew away sharply with an alarmed screeched, drawing away from him and peeking out past her wings. Henry smile dropped as he realized that they weren't as safe as he had thought. The sorcerer hadn't come alone. Leaning to the side to peek past Robin's legs, he watched as a figure waddled their way to them, heavily limping on one side and favoring their left. Torn robes fluttered around their feet with years of wear, and by the odd crunch of leaves, it almost sounded like they were walking bare foot. Slanting his eyes open, he watched as a woman stepped into the dim moonlight, her hair as dark as the surrounding shadows, with a bold silver streak on her bangs that ran up the break on top of her head. Much like her own body, her head was tilted to the side, looking like someone had mangled with it.

She smiled at them, one brown eye calm and easy while the other was a glowing menacing red that looked much angrier than Robin's own. She seened completely oblivious to how messed up she looked from where she stood, staring up at Robin in proud wonder. When her mismatched eyes turned to him,they were friendly and open. Robin shifted around him, one forearm placed in front of him in a protective gesture, while the rest of her body was lent away, trembling like an animal ready to flee.

For a moment, it felt like she would, only to be torn between staying with him or getting away from the woman.

"My beautiful Robin," the stranger breathed out, eyes locked on the dragon and walking towards her, hands stretched out. Robin hissed, leaning away from those hands, her arm accidentally knocking him over as she stalked away from the woman. For a moment, she looked hurt at the gesture before smiling a crooked, happy smile again. She looked just too happy to have found the dragon.

By the stretching of her clawed hands and the gritting of her teeth, Robin herself looked a little too torn about this whole ordeal. A thought flickered in his head as he sat up, peering up at the woman she tried to get closer to the dragon, now standing right next to him. Squinting at her, he realized that she looked familiar in a sense.

"Your her mother, aren't you?" Henry wondered aloud, watching as she looked down at him, her red eye glowing ominously. Despite the bright glare, she didn't look a bit bugged by his presence, smiling sadly down at him. "I am," she confirmed, "and I'm here to take my daughter back." She waved her hand to Robin, making the dragon flinch. "She's incomplete you see. Her form... imperfect."

Henry couldn't help but raise a brow at that, looking at the dragon, not seeing the imperfections that her mother saw. Robin looked horrific and monsterous, but she was beautiful too, as elegant and lovely as a rattler sliding over loose sand. Deciding not to argue, instead he commented, "I didn't think you where with Grimleal."

The woman hummed as she slowly limped towards Robin. She admitted, "I wasn't, not till my husband brought me back and opened my eyes. I'm just as the sorcerer said, cured." She reached her hand up, looking like she wanted to run it over Robin's mouth just like he did. If only the dragon would let her. "Now I realize that she is needed back home. Needed to be perfected. Needed for the people."

Robin snapped at her hand, growling as she slanted her red eyes.

"Please my child," her mother goaded gently, "we're wanted back home, needed. Come Robin, come my little bird." Robin froze at the wording, letting the woman lightly touch her head. As soon as the touch happened, purple magic flared and sparked between them, and Robin reeled away with a scream, lightning dancing between her teeth.

Henry swore that he almost heard Robin scream, _Monster_.

In a second he saw a figure standing in her mother's place, large and looming, it looked like an exact copy of Robin currently, only darker and much, much bigger, with four twisted wings. Arching high above the white dragon, those wings stretched out towards her, ready to wrap around her. Henry's hands moved before he could think, sparking dark magic between the two dragons, tearing at the wings that reached for Robin.

The larger faded with a mute scream, and Robin's mother stumbled away like she had been burnt by fire, despite not having been touched by the spell he casts.

Robin sprang to life at the spell. Tearing past her mother, she caught Henry with a forelimb, leaving him to cling as she awkwardly scrambled away. As she sped, her wings stretched out till they were knocking against the high branches. Uncaring, they slowly dipped down and up, booming in his ears as they flapped, and with a single blink, they took off, leaving the screaming mother behind them.

Gripping her arm hard, Henry watched the land sweep below them in pure wonder, blinking only when his hair smacked against eyes as the wind blew or her wings came down. The annoyance was small in comparison to the sheer awe of the experience. Shifting over the rough scales to glance up, Henry caught sight of the flock of crows, still trailing after Robin even in this form. Turning to stare towards the head that hung a good few feet away from him, he watched as she stayed focus on what's ahead, her eyes glowing like red stars in the dark lightening.

"Robin," he whispered out, moving slowly up along the air, wondering if he could catch her attention. She didn't so much as twitch at the mention of her name. The only movement he got was the flap of her wings and the rippling curve of her body as she slithered through the air.

Leaning over to the side, Henry watched the world go by, deciding it was best to simply wait this out, she was bound to turn back into a human sometime... if not, well either way, he'd have the coolest companion in the world.

They didn't get too far away when Robin started to dip and jerk in the air, nearly knocking Henry off each time. Looking up to the slanted head, he watched stiffly as those red eyes started to slowly close with black cracks spreading over her long body, webbing right out of her closing eyes. "Robin?" he shouted to her, louder as he tried to snap her out of it.

It was no use as the black cracks spread and her body crumbled away, leaving Henry in open air with a small girl with large white wings drifting closely. Instinctively he reached and grabbed her, just as gravity shoved them down. Pulling her body closed, he listened to the rattle of her feathers instead of the rush of air screaming in his ears, focusing on the feeling of her soft body pressed snuggly against him as he curved around her so that he back was facing the earth.

He found that this was another death that he was content with.

Only for Robin to deny him again. He felt her body twitch and her wings burst open, catching the air and slowing them down. A waiting oasis swallowed them below, the water hot in contrast to the air. After a few moments of drifting, Henry snapped back to attention, reaching for Robin and kicking frantically as he swung them both up to the surface.

Gasping heavily, he struggled with her as she started to weigh him down. Keeping a tight grip on and making sure she doesn't sink back below, Henry slowly swam to the beach, half crawling and half dragging when he finally reached it. Letting Robin drop to the sand, with her wings blanketing both of them, Henry let himself drop, ignoring the sand tickling his cheek as he took the chance to close his eyes.

Safe.

They were safe.

As he started to fall asleep, absently watching as Robin's own red eyes close slowly, Henry could distantly hear the caws and flutter of wings as crows started to land around them.

* * *

**alright a lengthy chapter! i enjoyed writing robin's mother in a sort of villainous role, especially since its something i haven't seen yet with the FEA fics**

**as a heads up, next chapter _should_ be the last for AC**


	7. Chapter 7

**this is the last chapter of AC, a prologue for a somewhat drastic AU to FEA. sadly, i don't know when that will be posted up or when i could get to it. i got a lot going around with classes and helping with kitchen renovations.  
**

**so hopefully i will get to it soon, and other stories that i have planned for FEA. the most likely to come up next:**

**_Devil Snare_ (sequel to Among Crows, AvatarxHenry) **

**_In Wyvern Valley_ (another AU and a sibling fic resolving around Morgan and Gerome)**

**_Witch in the Woods_ (GaiusxAvatar)**

**hope to see you guys the next FEA fic i manage to post up. thank you all for reading AC, i hope you enjoyed as much as i have writing it. till the next fic! **

* * *

Henry was alone when he was conscious again. Hearing nothing but a low whistling wind over his head, he blinked groggily as the cool sand clinging to his cheek and body. Closing them and breathing in, Henry sighed out and stretched, wincing when sore stiff muscles protested. Lifting his head up, he winced at the growing light of morning and tried to hide his face in the beach, covering it with even more sand.

Caught up in hiding his eyes from the sun, he was oblivious to the black bird that landed by his head, peering at him with its beady eyes. Its head tilted left, then right as it considered him. Jumping slightly, then jumping back away, the bird watched and waited for Henry to move. When he didn't, he jumped a couple steps closer, still staring at him, then jabbed its beak right into the middle of his head.

Henry slowly lifted his head, a rare frown on his face as he squinted at the bird. "I'll turn you into a toad," he threatened weakly.

The crow seemed amused by the warning as it laughed.

_Caw caw caw caw._

Moaning and grumbling to himself, Henry slowly pushed himself up, squinting through the light and lazily staring around him. A purple desert was laid out before him, the color slowly turning red as the sun rose higher, soon it'll turn its famous gold once the sun was high and proud. Behind him, a calm oasis lulled easy waves by his ankles, the tip of his cloak soaked through.

It was beautiful.

A rare word to hear in Plegia, but one that's greatly appreciated when it found.

Still though, there was something... off.

Frowning, Henry looked around once more then slowly, peered up. Ah, there she was, cocooned up in a tree, her large pale wings wrapped around her in a feathery shield. Around her was the rest of the flock, some poking at her wings while others rested on them and the branches. It looked like they were waiting for her to open up. Sitting still for a moment and simply staring up at the concealed girl, he blinked when he felt a blunt beak jab at his fingers.

Eyeing the crow sitting next to him and meeting its hard stare, Henry slowly moved, rising up and wobbling on his feet as his grogginess nearly knocked him back over. Stumbling to the tree, Henry saved himself from a fall by grabbing the trunk. Glancing up towards Robin, he tried shaking the tree to see if he could wake her.

The tree didn't even budge. Much less quiver from his try. Annoyed, Henry called instead, "Robin?"

A wing twitched.

It was subtly and almost nonexistent, but it twitched.

Smiling sleepily, the young dark mage pressed. "Come on Rob, what'cha doing up there?"

Those wings stubbornly stayed still.

"Rooooob. Don't make me come up there. I'll have you know I'm not good at climbing trees. But I'll do it anyway!"

Robin shifted above, making Henry grin as he stepped away to give her some room. She didn't completely drop down like he expected. Wrapping her ankles around the branch, Robin dropped down beside him, one of her wings unintentionally bopping his head as she fell, her messy pigtails looking like a tangeld mass of cobwebs from how they hung. Meeting her red eyes, looking purple in the early light, Henry offered Robin a big smile.

She eyed his pale eyes back for a few minutes before looking away, sheepish and nervous. Henry barely stopped her wings from wrapping around her again. "What are you trying to hide from?"

She gulped, looking like she was trying to shrink in on herself before murmuring. "I remember..."

An unspoken yesterday drifting after her. Henry remembered it quite easily as well. Yesterday, upon meeting a sorcerer that wanted to take her back to Grimleal, the angel turned into a horrific dragon. She killed the sorcerer, almost killed him, and fled when the mother she was searching for appeared, desiring to take her back to Grimleal.

"Yeah, yesterday was crazy huh?" Henry half agreed, half babbled.

The mention of it made Robin moan as she dropped her hold on the branch, letting her fall completely down and cocoon herself in feathers once more. Henry's smile dropped as he stared down at her, fighting off the urge to sigh. He just got her to open up. "Its not that bad," he tried.

A muffled whine come out, Henry able to catch the word monster through the wings. "First time changing into a dragon then?" The wings parted slightly, showing upset red eyes glaring up at him. He took that as a yes.

"I think its cool," he said instead, dropping to the ground beside her, crossing his legs as he sat and rocked on his rear. "Its like your some fake manakete or something. And you look so scary its awesome! And you can really fly! What are you hating about that?"

"What makes you think I want to be a manakete!" Robin snapped, popping out between her wings. "I had no control too! I... I almost killed you..." Robin visibly drooped while Henry hummed to himself. So that was the real bother. Reaching out, he startled her when he ruffled the top of her head, his smile back. "Its alright," he said easily, "you're not the first to try."

Wolfy had failed too.

"Its not," she argued, moving her head away from his hand and shooting him a strict glare. "Its not alright Henry. I'm dangerous, I, I killed that man without flinching. I didn't mind the taste of his blood... all I could think about was just getting rid of everything that was scary." She bent her head down, her eyes narrowed. "It almost felt like I was someone else."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure that was you."

"That doesn't make it better," Robin grumbled.

"Well think of it like this," Henry offered. "You stopped yourself before, you certainly could do it again. I trust my life with you, no matter what form you take." Robin eyed him, before straying them to his ripped clothes with clear bloodstains peeking through.

"Don't worry," he insisted, "they're flesh wounds. And when they heal, they'll be awesome scars."

Robin finally cracked a grin, shaking her head as she snorted quietly. "You're weird," she said simply.

Henry laughed. "Maybe, maybe not."

She smiled in return, a very small one that could barely count as a smile.

"Robby," he bid aloud, straightening as his smile turned serious, his eyes squinting open and meeting her dead in the eye. "I know that you're scared, dangerous, and has Grimleal after you; but I'm not going to leave just yet." When she opened her mouth to protest, he cut her off. "I don't leave what I care about alone. I care for what happens to you, and interested to see where your life will go. I'm curious about you being a dragon. I'm curious about your wings. I want to learn about you.

"And, your an important friend to me as well. I never say that lightly either. I can think of one other that was my friend and he's currently dead. If you're still around, so will I. And don't try to get rid of me either, it won't work." By now, the whole impressive speech he had in his head turned to mutton as he started the ramble off his list of reasons for not leaving her side.

Whether he made sense or not, he's sure the message was clear either way.

They weren't parting here.

Robin stared at him, long and hard as he talked on and on. When she finally moved, she caught him off guard as her head laid lightly on his shoulders, her crooked pigtail tickling his jaw as she lent on him. "Thank you," she whispered, a hiccup in her voice as the shirt started to get a little damp. "Thank you."

His hands lightly rested over hers as he lent against her head. "Always," he promised softly, not minding as her wings came up and slowly wrapped around them both, hiding them from the world. Around them, the crows observed with curious hush as they waited for their next move, their dark bodies bold around the pale wings.

To any on looker in the distance, those wings blended out well against the pale sand, hiding the two well among the crows.


End file.
